


You're Safe Now

by bakerbaker7



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alpha Lexa, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, And Lexa's A Protective Little Bean, Costia Has A Mental Disability, F/F, G!p Lexa, Knotting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Costia, Omega Verse, She's A Little Slow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-07-28 18:53:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7652845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakerbaker7/pseuds/bakerbaker7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Lexa sees her, she’s blown away by her natural beauty. Lexa’s sitting in the back of her Intro to Biology class, waiting for the professor to arrive, when a dark-skinned girl walks in and heads straight to the back where Lexa is sitting. She sits down directly in front of Lexa, and as soon as a waft of her scent hits the Alpha her eyes roll back into her head from pleasure. She’s by far the sweetest Omega Lexa’s ever smelled. She needs to find out this girl's name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is a Costia/Lexa fic. Clarke is not in it. Believe me, I love Clexa, but I also have a great deal of curiosity and respect for Costia. She was Lexa's first love, and I wish we could have seen what Lexa and Costia's relationship was like before she was killed by the ice queen. When I first imagined this story, it was always Costia I pictured as Lexa's love interest instead of Clarke, so that's what I went with. I also thought it would be interesting since there are no Alpha Lexa and Omega Costia stories so without further ado, please enjoy!
> 
> P.S- If you haven't followed me on Tumblr yet do so @bakerbaker7. Thanks guys :)

Costia meets Lexa her freshman year of college. Her heat had just started, and she struggles against the impending storm as she makes the painfully long trek back to the Omega dorm from the library. She mentally scolds herself for staying out so late, and lets the wind punish her by driving back almost all her forward progress. She feels her heat getting stronger by the minute, until her core is burning and throbbing underneath her heavy clothes.

Costia can only imagine how worried her parents would be if they knew the situation she was in, but tries not to dwell on it. Her parents have always babied her, all because of her mental disability. She knows she is a bit slow in the thinking and socializing departments, but she more than makes up for it with her strong intellectual capabilities in the classroom. She aced her SATs in high school and was offered a full scholarship to Polis University, one of the most prestigious colleges in the country.

Her parents weren’t going to let her go, since Polis is nearly four hours away from home, but she had gotten upset and had one of her ‘episodes’ until they had reluctantly agreed to let her attend. She knows they’re a nervous wreck 99% of the time, since she’s too far away for them to visit and see her as much as they’d like. In their worried rants to her over the phone, they always remind her of one very important rule: avoid Alphas at all costs.

They take what they want from Omegas without consent, and are impulsive and abusive and dangerous. Costia’s father is an Alpha, and when she was younger she asked him why he wasn’t bad like he always made Alphas out to be. She still remembers his reply “Not all Alphas are bad, sweetie. Not all of them are bad, but most of them are.”

His words ring in her head as she passes the Alpha dorm, not aware of the two male Alphas watching her as they smoke on the side of the building. Her heat has become practically unbearable now, to the point where she can feel arousal dripping from between her aching thighs. So when one of the Alphas calls out and tells her to join them, she doesn’t hesitate and begins walking towards them in a trance, like a moth attracted to light. “Maybe they’re nice Alphas”, being the only thought running through her head.

\-----

The first time Lexa sees her, she’s blown away by her natural beauty. Lexa’s sitting in the back of her Intro to Biology class, waiting for the professor to arrive, when a dark-skinned girl walks in and heads straight to the back where Lexa is sitting. Her hair is a couple shades darker than her cocoa brown skin, and isn’t poofy or large enough to be considered an afro, but that’s the closest word Lexa can use to describe the massive amount of frizzy but neat curls that sit on top of the girl’s head. She’s slender and petite, a little shorter than Lexa, with flattering curves in all the right places.

She sits down directly in front of Lexa, and as soon as a waft of her scent hits the Alpha her eyes roll back into her head from pleasure. She’s by far the sweetest Omega Lexa’s ever smelled. She needs to find out this girl’s name.

From that day on Lexa was always in Biology class, no matter how boring it got, and so was the curly-haired Omega. Lexa never paid attention to the rambling professor, only focusing on the enrapturing creature sitting in front of her. Lexa wasn’t anything if not observant, and she could tell something was off about her a couple classes in. The few times the Omega raised her hand to answer a question, she spoke very slowly and seemed like she had a hard time pronouncing words. Lexa had also overhead a couple of brief conversations the girl had with the professor after class, and it seemed she was always asking for extensions on assignments or help writing a paper or lab report.

At first Lexa just assumed she maybe had a bad case of SCT (Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, opposite of ADHD), but by about the tenth Bio class she figured out the girl had some sort of mental disability. Lexa’s heart ached for the girl, firstly, because being an unmated Omega made her a target to all Alphas on campus. Secondly, because Lexa’s shared a class with her and seen her at random places around campus for almost half a semester, and she was always isolated, on her own. And lastly, because having a mental disability makes her a 10x easier target for an Alpha looking for an easy fuck.

That’s why Lexa follows her out of the library on a nasty Wednesday evening, walking a good distance behind her so as not to get caught. She can smell the girl is in heat by the distressed and aroused pheromones the Omega is unknowingly putting off, and Lexa has to adjust her pants a couple times so they can more comfortably fit her growing hardness.

Lexa quickens her pace when the Alpha dorm comes into view, and curses quietly when she sees Ben and Ryder, two of the most horny and immature Alphas at Polis U, calling out and beckoning for the Omega to come over to them. _“Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it”_ is the mantra Lexa keeps repeating in her head. She curses again, out loud this time, when the girl starts walking towards them. Protectiveness flares up out of nowhere inside of Lexa, and suddenly she’s sprinting towards the defenseless Omega, determined to get to her before she reaches the other Alphas.

\-----

Costia isn’t prepared for the rough treatment the Alphas greet her with when she finally reaches them. One second she’s smiling, walking freely over to a couple of friendly looking fellas, but then she’s being forcefully pulled into them, and their innocent façade suddenly disappears. While her inner Omega preens at the Alpha’s touch, the logical side of her instantly tells her to recoil away from their wandering hands. She wants to tell them to let her go and leave her alone, but her brain is frozen and isn’t able to verbally communicate what she wants to say. She whimpers, and wills herself to think of something she could say or do to get herself out of this, but thankfully she doesn’t need to.

A growl from behind them startles the Alphas, and they pause their groping of the girl’s body before turning around to face whoever dared to interrupt them. A female who looks to be about her age appears out of the shadows and Costia can’t help but gasp. The girl is truly breathtaking, one of the most marvelous individuals she’s ever seen. She wears all black, making her emerald orbs pop out and look even more astonishing then they do in daylight. Her hair is a bit lighter than her own, and the Omega is in awe of the intricate braids that start at the top of her scalp and continue all the way down past her shoulders.

Her savior instantly becomes the new light, and Costia, like the moth, is instantly attracted to her. She walks over to her slowly, and can’t help the feeling that she’s seen this beautiful girl somewhere before. The distinct smell of Alpha hits the Omega when she makes it within three feet of her, but the scent is different, _better_ , than any Alpha she’s ever smelled before. It makes her entire body throb in a new, delightful way, and she whimpers in excitement when she sees the brunette Alpha growl and bare her teeth at her oppressors, who instantly turn and expose their throats in submission.

The Alpha turns back to Costia and her gaze immediately softens. She gently takes the Omega’s hand and starts leading her away from the Alpha dorm, and Costia eagerly follows her. Her Omega is jumping inside of her with excitement, but she reminds herself to remain wary of the girl, because she’s still an Alpha. For all she knows, she’s in a worse situation now than she was before, and there’s no one around to hear her cry for help if she calls.

\-----

Lexa slows her pace when she feels they’re far enough from Ben and Ryder to be safe. They’ve still got a little ways to go to the Omega dorm, but first she wants to stop and explain herself to the probably terrified Omega walking next to her. She stops and looks over at the small girl, who, to Lexa’s surprise, looks unfazed by the Alpha’s presence. She doesn’t even seem to be paying any attention to her, for the Omega’s gaze is solely focused on the millions of stars in the sky, lighting up the night in a spectacular display of sparkling lights.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

The Omega doesn’t reply, but eventually nods her head in agreement. After a while, she turns and looks up at Lexa with a half curious, half aroused look plastered on her face.

“My name”, Lexa starts, “is Lexa. I just turned 19, and I’m a freshman here at Polis University.”

Lexa pauses for a moment, trying to decipher if the girl followed any of what she just said. But the Omega only stares blankly up at Lexa, eyes locked not on her face, but something right next to it. Maybe her ear? Lexa self-consciously feels both of her ears, but there’s nothing in them other than her diamond stud earrings she always wears. It’s not until she flips her long hair over her shoulder that she figures out what has captured the small girl's attention.

All of her hair is woven into several intricate braids, courtesy of her roommate Anya, and Lexa pulls more of them over her shoulder so her mystery Omega can get a better look.

Lexa bends down a little so both pairs of eyes are at the same level. “You can touch them if you like.”

As soon as she’s given permission, a delicate hand reaches forward and grasps a few of Lexa’s braids. She runs her hand up and down the strands, feeling the thickness descend to thinness at the tips of her fingers. While the girl is playing with her hair, Lexa stares at her, in awe of her fascination with something as simple as braids.

“I could braid your hair if you want. They won’t be as good as mine, though. I don’t think anyone can braid as good as my roommate.”

Lexa can see the circuits running in the Omega’s head, rapidly processing what she’d just told her. But suddenly, as if a flip suddenly switched in her mind, the Omega jumps back, mumbling to herself and shaking her head. Lexa sighs in defeat, but remains a respectful distance away from the shivering girl. She shrugs off her hoodie before hesitantly handing it to the girl.

“Do you want me to walk you home?”

The girl sniffles and nods before slipping into Lexa’s hoodie. They walk to the Omega dorm in silence, both perfectly content to examine the sky on their own. When they finally reach the large building, they find the two Betas assigned to guard the dorm from intruding Alphas fast asleep. Lexa rolls her eyes before sliding past them.

It’s not until the Omega stops at a door labeled 27 on the first floor that Lexa realizes this is it. She desperately wants to prolong her time with the girl, but Lexa sees the Omega’s eyes drooping and understands her heat must be simmering down, at least for now.

Before she goes, the Alpha slides her bag off her shoulder to retrieve a pen and small piece of paper, and scribbles her number on it before handing the crumpled sticky note over to the confused Omega.

“It’s my phone number” Lexa explains, “If you need anything; food, suppressants, medicine, just text me, okay? I’ll get whatever you need.”

She doesn’t wait for the Omega’s reply before she turns around and starts walking away. But she doesn’t get far when she feels a light tugging on her shoulder, so she stops and shyly faces the girl once again. And with a voice of silk, the Omega finally speaks her first words to Lexa.

“My names… C-ostia.” The girl stutters out slowly, looking up at Lexa with her wide, hazel innocent eyes. Lexa doesn’t think she’s ever heard a name so beautiful.

The Alpha gives Costia one of her rare, radiant smiles. “Goodnight Costia.” And she turns on her heel and leaves.

\-----

Costia didn’t understand why Lexa gave away her hoodie until she was lying in bed, encased in the most wonderful and comforting scent. The smell reminded her of her father, mellow and sweet with just a touch of that dominant, musky Alpha aroma. She falls asleep that night feeling more peaceful and at home since she left her parents five months ago.

\-----

Lexa doesn’t hear from her. Days go by. Weeks pass. Life goes on. The first Biology class after that Wednesday night Costia comes in wearing her hoodie, and Lexa’s heart damn near beats out of her chest. But much to her inner Alpha’s despair, Costia meets her eyes but doesn’t acknowledge her. Doesn’t smile, or wave, or give any sign that she even recognizes Lexa. It shatters Lexa’s heart, and the class is probably one of the longest and most tortuous experiences of her life.

When the professor dismisses everyone. Costia packs up all her notes and exits the classroom without even a glance back in Lexa’s direction. It takes a long time before the distraught Alpha finds the will to get up and leave.

\-----

Costia’s heat lasts a total of four days. She rides it out in ease, plagued by thoughts of the alluring brunette Alpha, and her hoodie encompassing the small Omega in her musky pheromones. The minute her heat is over, she calls her parents and tells them all about her encounter with Lexa. She describes in great detail her physical traits (mainly her hair and eyes), before going on to ramble about how caring and gentle she was with her, never crossing any boundaries or doing something she didn’t want.

On the other end of the phone, her parents, Frank and Marie Green, try to sound enthused, but in reality they’re looking at each other nervously. They knew this day would come, and what they’re about to say will break Costia’s heart.

“She sounds really nice sweetie.” Frank tells her daughter.

“She was super nice” Costia gushes, her parents unable to see the blush forming on her cheeks.

“I’m sure she was honey” Marie dismisses, “But do you remember what we’ve told you about Alphas?”

“They’re dangerous. And mean.” Costia answers immediately, almost robotically.

“That’s very good.” Frank and Marie praise, since it makes Costia happy and raises her self-esteem.

“Lexa’s an Alpha, but I think she’s one of the nice ones papa told me about.” she absentmindedly says, picking at a frayed seam at the bottom of her shirt.

Frank looks at his wife sadly before taking a deep breath and speaking into the phone “No honey, she’s not.”

Costia frowns, not liking where this is going. “She’s not what?”

Five words are all it takes. Her father’s voice echoes through the speaker. “She’s not a nice one.”

Tears well up in her eyes, and she tries to understand what her parents are saying. _She’s not a nice Alpha? But she was so nice to me that night._

“Papa?” her shaky, upset voice asks.

“Yes darling?”

“How can you tell Lexa’s a bad Alpha? You don’t even know her.”

_You didn’t see the way she made sure those other Alphas didn’t hurt me, how protective and respectful she was of me. You didn’t see how her eyes sparkled when I smiled at her. You didn’t see the lost look in her eyes, full of pain and loneliness, but also softness, devotion, and love._

“I know what she can do to you, and I don’t want that. She’s not safe. I want you to stay away from that Alpha, Costia. I know it makes you upset, but you have to understand we want what’s best for you, okay?”

Costia responds with a shaky “Okay” before pressing the red button on her phone to end the call. With trembling hands, she reaches over her nightstand, picks up the crumpled sticky note, and pushes it to the very bottom of her organized drawer. She wipes away her tears. Costia has never disobeyed her parent’s orders, and she’s not about to start now.

\-----

She wears Lexa’s hoodie to Biology class. Normally, Costia keeps her head down while walking to her seat, but something about this time is different. She looks up, and meets the emerald green eyes she’s been dreaming about and imagining for the past six days. Lexa smiles at her, and she can feel her willpower crumbling, so she defiantly turns her head and ignores the Alpha the rest of the way to her row.

Costia doesn’t pay attention to one word the professor says, too consumed by the aching emptiness in her chest to pay attention.

\-----

Lexa quits attending Biology after a while. Her one reason to go is obviously uninterested, and she never focuses on the subject anyway, so why bother? All she does throughout the lesson is torture herself by going over different possibilities and scenarios of what happened to Costia. _Did she forget about what happened that Wednesday night? Is she afraid of Me? Maybe she lost my number and is too scared to approach me?_

Whatever it is, Lexa doesn’t know, and is too shy to say anything to her about it. So she stops going to the class Costia’s in, hoping it will help her forget about the beautiful little Omega.

It doesn’t. She tries everything, from cracking down on her studying and schoolwork, to going out to parties and hooking up with random people. Nothing works, much to Lexa’s dismay. Anya tries to get through to her, saying ‘it’s just some lousy crush’, but Lexa always pushes her away. Her Omega girlfriend, Raven, had eagerly jumped at the chance to be with Anya, so she hasn’t the faintest idea what Lexa is feeling.

So most nights she lies awake, drowning in thoughts of Costia and her fantasies that she knows will never become a reality. _Did she not feel it too? The spark that ignited when our fingers touched for the first time, racing up and down my spine multiple times, before it finally stopped to rest in my heart?_

 _I guess not._ Lexa suddenly sits up in bed. She knows the Alpha in her will be agitated and never rest until she talks to the curly-haired Omega, demanding to know why she’s been so withdrawn. Tomorrow, she decides, she’ll be paying Costia a visit.

\-----

It takes about two weeks for Lexa’s scent to completely fade from her hoodie. Costia has worn it every time she’s gone out, even though it’s about two sizes too big on her. It makes the Omega feel almost as protected as she felt that night with Lexa, so when she suddenly can’t smell a trace of the brunette Alpha on the fabric any longer, it makes her howl and whine in despair.

To make matters worse, Lexa has stopped showing up to Biology class, stripping away Costia’s only chance to drink in the older girl’s captivating features and comforting scent. The hoodie that once made her feel safe now saddens her, because she no longer feels the warmth and peace she felt the night Lexa gave it to her. She stashes the hoodie in the very back of her closet, hoping that out of sight will eventually come to mean out of mind.

It doesn’t. The more she tries to push her thoughts of Lexa away, the more she ends up thinking about her. One night, her feeling of abandonment gets so bad, she reaches into the drawer she stashed Lexa’s number in and pulls it out, going on to stare at the paper for hours.

At exactly 11:03 p.m., she decides to go against her parent’s wishes and and plans to text Lexa first thing tomorrow morning.

\-----

Lexa arrives at the Omega dorm very early. She has American Government and Politics at nine o’clock, and she wants to confront Costia before so she can actually attempt to pay attention during class. She walks right past the front desk and navigates the winding hallways with ease. Her memory does not fail her, and soon she is standing in front of room 27, exactly fifteen days after that unforgettable Wednesday night.

Lexa raises her arm and hesitates to knock, thinking that maybe coming here was a bad idea. She takes a deep breath and immediately smells the sweet pheromones that have been haunting her the past two weeks. They pull her in, and create a sort of nostalgia that Lexa didn’t even know she was capable of having. She remembers Costia looking straight at her in Biology class, then ignoring her, shutting her out and making her feel as if she did something wrong.

Lexa is hit with the memory all at once, and she is _angry_. She’s angry because Costia never called, or reached out to contact her in any way. She’s angry because the Omega blew her off, and thanked her by giving her the cold shoulder. She’s angry because after two weeks, Costia is still the only person she can think about. With newfound reason and adrenaline, she pounds on the door, jaw painfully clenched and posture rigid. She hears cautious footsteps on the other side, so she impatiently begins knocking again. The door cracks open mid knock, and Lexa’s angry rant she had built up in her throat dies the second Costia comes into view.

Her hair is wet and damp curls fall limp against her shoulder, drenching the upper half of her wrinkled t-shirt. There’s a towel wrapped loosely around her waist, but Lexa can see she’s wearing black yoga pants underneath. A single droplet of water runs diagonally across Costia’s left cheek, and she has to strongly resist the urge to wipe it away with her palm. What gets to Lexa the most, though, is the shy, innocent smile that graces the girl’s features when she sees Lexa standing at her door.

Although most of her anger has gone away, Lexa has to pinch herself in reminder that she’s still here for a reason.

“Why did you look away?”

Costia’s smile slowly fades, and Lexa sees her hazel eyes widen. When she gets no answer, Lexa presses forward until she’s in Costia’s room, making the Omega step back in alarm.

“Why are you ignoring me? Did I do something to you? Offend you somehow?” Even though Lexa’s voice remains steady, she keeps stalking forward, pushing Costia back until she’s pressed against the wall with nowhere to go.

Lexa’s fists are clenched, and she’s so blinded by her need for answers she doesn’t take time to consider the affects her outburst is having on Costia. The Omega’s mental disability not only entails poor concentration and the inability to grasp what most people consider easy concepts, but it also makes it incredibly difficult to process information at a quick rate.

Costia can answer one question at a time easily, but the way Lexa keeps continuously pressuring her and demanding answers quickly overwhelms the poor girl. Her stress level steadily rises with each step backwards, and as soon as her body hits the wall she breaks down.

Lexa stops the minute she sees what her actions have caused. Because of her, the girl she thinks she might have a very serious crush on is sitting on the floor with a flood streaming from her eyes. Guilt hits the Alpha at full force, and she struggles to swallow as she watches the fragile Omega’s shoulders heave from her unrelenting, heartbroken sobbing.

She’s never felt more horrible or unworthy than she does right now. She pictures Costia’s face less than five minutes ago, looking happy and excited, probably thinking Lexa had come to visit or say hi. Now she feels like a monster, and Lexa knows that she somehow has to fix this.

She starts off by pumping out soothing pheromones, and keeps her distance until Costia calms down. She hates feeling helpless, and wishes she could physically comfort the girl, but Lexa knows she lost that privilege the moment she barged into Costia’s room.

Eventually Costia’s cries taper off, and she picks her head up to look at Lexa with terrified, saddened eyes, and Lexa would completely understand if she kicks the Alpha out right then and there. But Lexa still allows herself to hope that Costia will give her a chance to apologize and explain herself.

\-----

Costia lifts her head slowly, exhausted and dazed from crying so much. She hasn’t gotten this upset since she’d had to say goodbye to her parents the weekend before her first semester at Polis U, and she was proud of herself for holding it together so long. She can sense the calming pheromones Lexa is releasing, but it does nothing to stop the frantic beating of her heart.

To say she’s shaken up would be an understatement. In a desperate attempt to comfort herself, she wraps her arms around her knees and begins rocking back and forth.

She can feel Lexa watching her, so she meets the Alpha’s gaze, confused as to why she isn’t yelling at her anymore. After the outburst Lexa just had, Costia is terrified of the older girl, but her fear is something that has never outweighed her curiosity. It’s the one trait Costia has that terrifies her parents, because they know people can and will use her curiousness to blindside the Omega and take advantage of her.

Pushing down her fear, she moves and crawls over until she’s across from Lexa. Being closer to her surprisingly brings Costia more peace than it does anxiety.

Lexa watches on, mouth slightly open, with an ashamed look on her face. When she speaks, her voice is gravelly and rough, nothing like the soft voice Costia remembers her having two weeks ago.

“Costia…. I know you probably won’t believe me, but I am _so_ sorry for coming here and violating your personal space. Throwing all of that on you was completely uncalled for and I did it in a very inappropriate and disrespectful manner. I hope you can forgive me and you’ll never have to see or hear from me again.”

Lexa’s voice cracks at the end of the last sentence, and Costia panics as Lexa begins to get up. Even after everything the Alpha had done, Costia still doesn’t want her to leave just yet. She scrambles for something to say, but, just as it has many times in the past, her brain fails her.

Lexa’s almost to the door when Costia sees it: one single tear, rolling down the side of Lexa’s cheek. That alone is enough to get Costia up and moving, practically sprinting across the room in pursuit of the Alpha. When she reaches her, the frantic Omega grabs her hand and tugs, hoping it will convey her simple message of 'Please don’t leave me. Stay.'

It does. As soon as Lexa turns around, Costia throws herself into Lexa’s chest and wraps her arms tightly around the Alpha’s waist. Lexa doesn’t respond right away, being too shocked to react, but Costia doesn’t mind. Lexa smells just like the hoodie Costia has worn the past two weeks, and it amazes her that someone she doesn’t really know is able to provide her with this much comfort and solace.

When Lexa’s arms finally wrap around her, she purrs in relief and tries to cuddle in closer to the heat emanating from Lexa’s body. Her legs are shaking from the drastic new charge of pheromones filling up the room; except this time Costia is overwhelmed in the best way possible. All her senses are overloaded with Lexa , and it’s not long before her legs completely give out.

For a second she’s falling, bracing herself for impact, but then she’s miraculously being pulled up by strong, sturdy arms. Lexa bends down and gently hoists the Omega up by her thighs. Costia lets out a shriek when she feels herself being lifted, but relaxes when Lexa pulls her into another warm embrace. Costia laughs into Lexa’s neck, giddy from the excitement of being in Lexa’s arms.

Soon Lexa’s laughing too, and their bodies heave with laughter until they’re both gasping for air. Lexa adjusts her hold on her thighs, and Costia takes the opportunity to wrap her arms around Lexa’s neck.

Costia brings her hand up to gently wipe away a couple of tears on Lexa’s face that still haven’t dried. As soon as she touches Lexa’s skin, Lexa leans her face more fully into Costia’s hand and whines, eager for more affectionate contact. It is then that Costia discovers her touch has the same effect on Lexa that Lexa’s touch has on her. 

Costia clears her voice and Lexa opens her eyes, watching the Omega attentively. Costia speaks slowly, and her words almost make Lexa tear up again. “I d-on’t like it wh-en you’re sad.” She wipes more of Lexa’s tears away while she talks, and Lexa feels like she doesn’t deserve the kindness she’s receiving from this amazing girl.

She kisses Costia’s forehead before whispering in her ear “I don’t like it when you’re sad either.” Costia giggles, and it makes Lexa smile. Costia’s giggle and laugh will always make Lexa smile. The Alpha suddenly remembers she has a class to go to, but the thought of leaving Costia makes her hug the Omega tighter.

With regret apparent in her voice, she manages to tell the curly-haired brunette. “Costia, I’m sorry, but I need to go. I have class at nine and I’m already late.”

Much to Lexa’s surprise, the girl quickly removes her face from the warmth of Lexa’s neck, and simply replies “No” before curling right back in to Lexa’s shoulder.

“Costia please, this class is really important.” Lexa halfheartedly tries to argue. But when Lexa goes to put Costia down, she cries out and wraps her arms tighter around Lexa’s neck.

Lexa pouts. “Okay fine, you win. I suppose I could skip class for you this one time.” She’s secretly overjoyed that she gets to spend more time with her Omega, and when Costia beams up at her, it makes her decision more than worth it.

“You want to go get some breakfast? We could talk and get to know each other a little bit. My treat.” Lexa adds in the end, in case it wasn’t clear to the girl.

Costia nods and lifts her head from Lexa’s chest. “But no-t yet. I want to stay like thi-s.”

Lexa hums her understanding and rests her chin on Costia’s head, completely content to hold the girl she’s come to care about so much in her arms. She gently sways her body back and forth while rubbing her hand up and down Costia’s spine. Costia is snoring on her shoulder within five minutes.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time I've posted anything new since July, so I hope you guys enjoy. I advise you read chapter 1 again before you read chapter 2, since its been so long and you probably don't remember what this storys even about haha.

Two months. Costia and Lexa have been dating now for two months. And what a wonderful two months it has been. They’ve been nearly inseparable since Lexa took Costia to breakfast that morning. They had talked and laughed and had an overall really good time.

Since then they have seen each other every day, no exceptions. Most of the time they meet up to study or do homework together, but occasionally they’ll grab some coffee or go for a stroll around campus. It doesn’t matter to either of them, just as long as they’re together.

Lexa’s the happiest she’s ever been. Having grown up in the system, she was used to isolating herself from everyone who tried to get close to her. She’d assumed she would always be alone, having no friends, no family, and no mate.

Until she met Costia.

Lexa knows it’s too early to even mention mating yet, especially since the two girls aren’t even officially together. But spending time with Costia gives Lexa hope. Hope for a future that won’t be lonely, and will be full of laughs, memories, and maybe even pups.

\-----

Lexa has been a godsend for Costia. Before Lexa came into her life, she had been struggling with school. She was overly stressed with all her assignments, and a few very bad marks had her afraid she’d lose her scholarship. Thankfully, she didn’t. Lexa, her sweet, fearless Alpha, waltzed into her life at exactly the right time.

Costia had almost cried in relief when the morning after they’d had breakfast Lexa called and asked if she wanted to work together on the Biology lab that was due in a couple of days, since they were in the same class. Even though she had approached her professor with a multitude of questions on how to complete it, she was still hopelessly confused and lost.

But within just a few hours of working with Lexa, she was sitting in front of a precisely finished lab report, and she actually _understood _the material it covered. Lexa was a phenomenal teacher. She explained it to Costia in a totally different way than the professor had, and it made so much more sense to the struggling Omega.__

From that day on, most of their time together was spent helping each other on projects or homework assignments. Well, it was mostly Lexa helping Costia, but the brunette Alpha didn’t seem to mind. She was so patient while explaining concepts to her, and never got frustrated when it took a while for Costia to grasp the information Lexa was telling her.

During their long study sessions Lexa always makes sure they take plenty of breaks, and for this Costia is very grateful. Her brain can only take so much before it feels like it’s going to implode in her head, and luckily for her Lexa seems to be the same way. The Alpha always has snacks and water bottles and constantly reminds Costia that ‘it’s important to replenish your body and stay hydrated while studying. Without fuel your mind isn’t nearly as useful as it can be.’

Costia thinks it’s cute, how she always randomly recites health tips and rambles about the importance of a balanced diet along with exercise. She usually ends up tuning out everything Lexa is saying, and just stares at the Alpha in awe with a dreamy look on her face. How did she get so lucky?

\-----

Lexa has realized two things about Costia in the short time she’s spent with her: 1, she’s really smart for having a mental disability, and 2, Costia’s laugh is her favorite sound in the whole world.

Even though Lexa has basically become Costia’s private tutor, she recognized the Omega’s intelligence immediately. It may take a little longer for her to understand things that may be easy for most people to comprehend, but when she gets a concept, she really masters it. Costia could probably even teach better than the professor if she was given the chance.

Every day Lexa is more and more amazed at Costia’s intellectual capabilities. Lexa had always assumed that people with mental disabilities weren’t smart enough to go to college, and ended up living with their parents their whole life. She realizes it is a very closeminded way of thinking, especially after witnessing firsthand how independent Costia is.

Lexa swears every time she hears Costia laugh, it adds more years onto her life. Costia giggles a lot at Lexa’s goofy antics she performs just for the Omega, and Lexa thinks it’s cute, but Lexa’s goal is to always make her laugh those hearty, all-consuming laughs. Her mission is to always bring Costia the same joy she gives to Lexa just by being in her presence.

Lexa works at a bar. She wishes she didn’t. The pay isn’t bad, and she’s met great people, but the hours are wack and every other person that comes in tries to flirt with her. Before Costia, she didn’t mind, she sometimes would even humor some advances, but now every time someone even _looks_ at her in a suggestive manor, she feels guilt bubble up inside of her.

She knows she shouldn’t, since she never pursues anyone, but she can’t help but think about the situation if roles were reversed. Costia working at a bar with Alphas constantly flirting and trying to woo her…Lexa growls softly at the thought. Her Alpha sometimes gets the best of her, and just the thought of anyone else touching Costia makes her see red.

A light tap on her shoulder snaps her out of her reverie. She turns to see Luna, a cool Beta girl she works with, giving her a concerned look.

“Are you okay Lexa? You looked really angry there for a second.”

Lexa smiles at her concern but waves her off, saying she’s fine, and goes to seat a group of people that just came in. She can’t wait for this shift to be over.

\-----

The first time Lexa spends the night with Costia is spontaneous and not really her choice. She’s scheduled a night shift at the bar, and doesn’t expect to get back to her dorm until the early hours of the morning. It’s a Friday night, so the bar is packed with people, mostly teenagers from the university who most likely all have fake I.Ds.

Lexa had hung out with Costia earlier, grabbing some lunch at a local café before heading to the library to get some homework done. When Lexa had to leave for work, Costia stayed behind, claiming she needed a bit more time to finish whatever she was working on. Lexa departed with a quick kiss and a mumbled “be safe” before hastily walking down the frozen sidewalk en route to the bar.

She made it just in time before it started to downpour, and she thanked the gods because she didn’t have a proper coat or an umbrella.

It’s just her and Luna tonight, and they’re barely enough to handle the large crowd that comes in after dark. The rain is really coming down now, and Lexa can hear loud booms of thunder even over the blaring music and noisy conversations.

While she’s working, she normally keeps her phone on vibrate in her back pocket, but rarely has time to check it when it goes off. But after it vibrates for the fifth consecutive time in three minutes, she excuses herself and heads to the back to see whose calling.

5 missed calls from Costia. She squints at the screen to make sure she’s seeing right, but her eyes don’t deceive her. Worry quickly creeps up inside of Lexa, because Costia has never called her while she’s at work. Lexa has told her that if she doesn’t answer Costia’s texts or calls right away she’s most likely at work, but that certainly isn’t deterring the Omega from trying to reach her now.

Her phone screen lights up as another call from Costia comes through. Lexa doesn’t hesitate to answer and goes further back into the kitchen in attempt to hear better.

Her worry multiplies tenfold when all she hears on the other side of the line is heavy, uneven breathing, sounding almost like the static heard right before a call is disconnected. Lexa is really scared now; scared that Costia isn’t okay.

“Costia, baby, what’s wrong? Talk to me, it’s okay.” Lexa coos gently over the phone.

It takes a while, along with a lot of reassurances from Lexa before Costia speaks. Her voice is raspy, and the fear Lexa detects in the Omega’s voice breaks her heart.

“The s-torm, Lex-a. Why is the s-torm so l-oud?”

Then it all clicks for Lexa. Costia is from Arizona, one of the driest states in the U.S, so she’s probably hardly ever seen rain before, much less experienced a thunderstorm. She’s reaching out to Lexa because she’s terrified, and Lexa is close to tears because she knows there’s nothing she can do for Costia. Her shift is barely halfway over, and it doesn’t seem like the bar is going to get less busy anytime soon.

“Can you c-ome over?”

Costia’s voice is really shaky, and Lexa knows she wouldn’t ask her to come if she wasn’t scared out of her mind. Lexa hates herself for what she’s about to say.

“Costia… You know I would if I could. I’m at work, and it’s really hectic right now, so I know my boss won’t let me leave. But just hang tight, and I promise as soon as my shift is over I’ll be there, okay?”

Lexa hears the Omega sniffle on the other side of the line and Lexa aches to be there to comfort the girl. But she has a job, and Indra will surely fire her if she bails halfway through her shift on a busy Friday night. She has bills to pay and student loans to pay off, so losing her job is something she certainly can’t afford.

She stays on the phone for a little while longer until Luna bursts through the kitchen doors, out of breath and disheveled, and Lexa knows she has to go. With great regret, she reminds Costia she’ll be there as soon as she’s off and hangs up the phone.

Time to get back to work.

\-----

Costia loves the rain. She loves the sweet lullaby it creates as it patters on the windowsill. She loves the way it smells, reminding her of the earthly, musky scent of her home back in Arizona. Most of all she loves splashing in the puddles. It very rarely rained in Arizona, but when it did, you could find Costia out in her boots, wading through the deepest puddles in her backyard.

So when it starts raining after she gets back to her dorm, it doesn’t bother her. She begins reading the book Lexa lent her, called ‘Pride and Prejudice’. She doesn’t get very far into it. While she reads, she becomes completely oblivious to the impending thunderstorm. When the first clap of thunder hits, it sends Costia into a panicked frenzy.

Having never heard thunder or seen lightning before, Costia was quite afraid. She didn’t like how loud it was, and she especially didn’t like the way it made all of her furniture shake. Normally, Costia likes to keep her shades open while it rains, but every time a bolt of lightning strikes, it blinds her and disturbs her reading.

So she closes her window and turns on all the lights in her room, because it makes her feel less scared. She turns on the T.V and changes into comfortable clothes before snuggling into one of Lexa’s hoodies on her bed, quietly willing this storm to be over soon.

Unfortunately her pleas are not heard, because the thunder only gets louder and the lightning brighter.

It’s not until the power goes out with a small ‘pop’ that Costia completely loses her cool. Being alone this late at night in total darkness makes her extremely uneasy, and the storm doesn’t help abate her worries one bit. It’s getting hard for her to breath, and she longs for Lexa’s strong, warm embrace. With a trembling hand, she reaches for her cell phone on her nightstand and tentatively dials Lexa’s number.

No answer. Straight to voicemail. Costia knows Lexa is at work, but the growing intensity of the thunder is what makes her keep trying. When Lexa finally answers, she’s gasping for breath, and is desperately trying to stop from having a full on panic attack.

She calms slightly when she hears Lexa’s soft voice over the phone.

_“ Costia, baby, what’s wrong? Talk to me, it’s okay.”_

Just hearing those words makes her smile and a little bit easier to breath. It still takes a couple minutes to find her voice, and when she does, the only thing she can get out is “The s-torm, Lex-a. Why is the s-torm so l-oud?”, hoping Lexa will understand what she’s trying to communicate.

Costia thinks she does, but her answer is not what she is hoping to hear. She understands when Lexa tells her she can’t come right now because of work, but it doesn’t make her inner Omega’s ache for her Alpha any less bearable. After she hangs up with Lexa, she remains on the floor, rocking back and forth with her knees pulled up to her chest, growing more frantic by the second as the thunder only gets louder and more sporadic.

\-----

Lexa can’t focus. Her thoughts are plagued by Costia, curled up and alone in her dorm room, waiting for her Alpha to arrive. Her head knows it is important to stay at work, but her heart and inner Alpha are begging her to just quit and go to her Omega. Gritting her teeth, she gets back to work and serves people their drinks.

She lasts twenty minutes. Twenty minutes before she mutters “fuck it” under her breath and runs to the back to get her jacket. She doesn’t stop when she hears Luna call out to her, or even turn around to give her an explanation.

Suddenly she’s outside, fighting against the battering wind and rain, and pushing against the storm towards Costia’s dorm. Luckily for her, a cab happens to pass the struggling brunette and takes the Alpha out of her cold and spluttering misery. She wasn’t outside long enough for her clothes to get completely soaked, but it doesn’t stop Lexa from shivering the entire ride.

The taxi driver arches his brow when Lexa directs him to the Omega dorm, since her scent is predominantly Alpha, but doesn’t say anything, and Lexa is extremely grateful.

The closer they get, the more impatient Lexa becomes, anxiously tapping her foot on the floor of the cab until the driver politely asks her to stop. She apologizes and doesn’t wait for his reply, because they have arrived. She throws a bunch of bills his way and hopes it is enough to cover her fare before leaping out of the cab and dashing through the front doors of the dorm.

The two Beta guards are asleep in the lobby, again, and Lexa doesn’t even have time to roll her eyes before she sprints pass them to get to Costia’s room. Soon she’s standing in front of room 27, and she knows her Omega is really shaken up when she tests the knob and the door is unlocked. Costia always has her door locked. _Always._

She pushes it open in a hurry and her heart almost gives out at the sight she’s met with. Costia is curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth with her cell phone clenched tightly between her fingers. Lexa can hear her soft, serious voice coming through the phone’s speakers, and an unexplainable warmth bubbles up in her chest and spreads throughout her entire body.

Costia is listening to old messages _she’s_ left that Costia must have saved. Lexa almost wants to cry in happiness at the knowledge that her voice is able to bring the Omega any form of comfort. She can’t move, for she is so overwhelmed with the most blissful sensation of elation.

It is only when the recording ends and Costia miserably cries out that Lexa is finally able to move. She’s kneeling in front of Costia within seconds, gently prying the cell phone out of Costia’s tight grasp before pulling her trembling girlfriend into a tight hug.

While carding her fingers through Costia’s thick curls, she murmurs reassurances and sweet nothings into her ear.

“Hey baby, you’re safe, you’re okay. I’m here now.”

\-----

_“Hey baby, you’re safe, you’re okay. I’m here now.”_

The words take a while to register. Costia still can’t grasp the fact that Lexa is _here_ , holding her and comforting her like she promised she would. To Costia, someone who’s always had to suffer alone, this feels almost too good to be true.

Eventually, her breathing evens out, and Lexa’s voice becomes clearer until she’s able to hear all of Lexa’s gentle reassurances. Love and gratitude for the strong creature holding her takes over Costia’s senses, and before she can stop it, a tear leaks out of her eye, than another, and another. Soon there’s a waterfall pouring from her glossy eyes, and Costia feels Lexa shift against her.

Suddenly, worried green eyes are in front of her, and even though Costia wants to tell Lexa not to worry, her brain won’t allow her. A minute later she feels herself being carefully lifted and cradled in Lexa’s arms. Costia latches on to her jacket and buries her head into Lexa’s warm embrace; finding immense comfort in her Alpha’s familiar, reassuring scent.

She is placed on her bed, on top of the comforter, and the cool and rough texture make goosebumps appear on her skin. Costia watches Lexa cross her room through hooded lids, unsure of what she’s doing. Lexa approaches Costia a minute later with a loving gaze and holds up a pair of sweatpants for the Omega to put on. Then, the Alpha kneels down to press a soft kiss into each sole of her feet, before helping her put a pair of warm socks on. Tears well up in Costia’s eyes, because she’s never been treated with this much tenderness and care. Not even by her own parents.

A booming clap of thunder startles both of them, and Costia would have laughed at the way Lexa jumped if she wasn’t so shaken up. Even though she’s warm now, her whole body begins to tremble, and Lexa, being the angel she is, notices and acts accordingly.

Costia feels the bed dip, and seconds later Lexa is lying on top of her, her weight effectively blocking out everything bad in the world. Costia presses her face into the warmth of Lexa’s neck, and circles her arms around her lover’s back.

They lay there for hours, Costia drifting in and out of sleep, lying comfortably beneath Lexa’s warm body. Lexa is surprisingly light, probably weighing about the same as Costia, even though she’s easily several inches taller. Lexa’s frame is more lanky and wiry, containing the lean muscular build of a female Alpha. Costia is soft and curvy, equipped with fuller breasts and wider hips that are better capable of bearing pups.

When Costia comes to hours later, she feels warm lips graze her neck, jaw, then her forehead. She opens her eyes to see the vibrant green orbs she adores so much lovingly staring down at her. Lexa nuzzles her cheek before leaning in to kiss Costia softly on the lips.

Finally, Costia’s mind functions clearly enough for her to speak. “Yo-u c-ame.”

Lexa smiles at her and lightly kisses the spot right over her heart, and Costia melts below her.

“Always.”

\-----

3:01 a.m.

Costia’s digital clock blinks at Lexa every sixty seconds, letting her know another minute has passed. Costia has long since fallen asleep, leaving Lexa wide awake to memorize every detail and freckle on her face. It feels almost impossible for Lexa to relax, because her instinct to protect and comfort her mate still runs rampant through Lexa’s veins.

_She’s not my mate. Yet._

Lexa pushes a stray curl out of Costia’s face. It is not until Lexa reached up to scratch her face that she realizes that now _she_ is the one who is trembling. She had been so focused on abating Costia’s fears and warming her up that Lexa completely forgot she was still in damp clothes. She’s comfortable, but the longer Lexa keeps these clothes on, the more chance she has of getting sick, and she can’t afford that. She moves her body off of Costia’s slowly, so she doesn’t wake up her peaceful Omega.

Lexa hears Costia whimper in her sleep at the separation, but doesn’t seem to stir or wake up. Lexa quickly strips out of her damp jacket and uniform, leaving her clad in only a sports bra and boxers. The Alpha discretely inspects her boxers and lets out a sigh of relief when she sees her member is behaving. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Unknown to Lexa, very much-awake and curious hazel eyes peek out from under the blankets as Lexa undresses. Costia watches giddily until her Alpha is in nothing but a bra and boxers, leaving her incredibly attractive and muscular physique in plain sight. A blush rises up on Costia’s cheeks, and Lexa turns around before she can hide them.

Lexa immediately catches Costia’s lingering gaze and feels a deep purr rumble out from her throat. The fact that she just caught her Omega attentively checking her out does something for Lexa. She feels her pent up desires start to bubble up in her loins, but pushes it down before it can erupt.

No matter how much she wants to make love to Costia, knot her, mate her, Lexa knows her girlfriend isn’t ready. It’s extremely rare for an Alpha to stay in a relationship with an Omega that doesn’t give them sex on a daily basis, but Costia is the exception for Lexa. The lean Alpha looks over at her petite girlfriend with a rare look of softness and adoration spread across her face. And when Costia opens up her arms, Lexa doesn’t hesitate to slid back into bed and wrap Costia in a warm, protective embrace.

\-----

Two weeks later, Lexa finds herself back in Costia’s dorm room on her bed, furiously making out with her girlfriend. What had started as a short peck soon escalated into a heated make-out session. Textbooks and flashcards were haphazardly thrown off the bed and promptly forgotten.

Lexa lays beneath Costia, and she loves the feeling of her Omega’s weight pressed warm and present against her body. Although Lexa wants nothing more than to slide into next base with her girlfriend, she keeps her hands firmly rooted to Costia’s hips. But Costia has no such regards. Her hands wander everywhere, from Lexa’s face, to around her neck, all the way down to her hard stomach.

And that’s where her small hands are resting now, tracing the outlines of Lexa’s defined abs. Just the feeling alone makes shivers travel up and down the Alpha’s spine. While their lips are still locked, Costia’s hands slowly drift further down Lexa’s torso until they’re lying right over the waistband of Lexa’s pants. This action causes Lexa to growl and buck her hips up into Costia, desperately seeking more friction.

There’s a battle raging within Lexa, a fight between what her heart wants and what her body wants. Her body wants to fuck Costia into oblivion, because it’s been almost three months since she’s been sexually active and it’s slowly starting to drive Lexa crazy. But she also couldn’t bear to hurt her little Omega girlfriend, who would probably adhere to anything Lexa said just to please her Alpha, even if she wasn’t comfortable. Lexa also promised herself she would take this relationship slow, and prove to Costia that she wants to be with her because she loves her, not just to take the girl’s virginity and leave. With that thought, Lexa regretfully detaches her lips from Costia’s before she gets too worked up.

She can feel her member already semi-hard in her jeans, awaking from its long cat nap and eagerly searching for more friction. Costia shifts against Lexa, causing her knee to brush against the Alpha’s pride. A moan escapes Lexa’s lips before she can stop it, and soon her and Costia are kissing again. Lexa’s not sure who initiated it, but all she knows is that she needs _more. ___

Her mind is so hazy with want and lust, she doesn’t hear the first time someone knocks on the door, or the second time. It’s only when the door suddenly crashes open do the girls finally stop kissing and jump away from each other in shock.

Two unknown people, an older man and a woman, stand hand-in-hand in the doorway. Lexa immediately smells the dominant Alpha pheromones spilling off the man, and protectively positions her body in front of Costia. This action makes the man snarl and begin stalking towards them, despite Lexa’s warning growls. Normally Lexa isn’t very territorial, her demeanor usually being less possessive and more laid back around Omegas. But with Costia it’s a different story. Costia brings out a side of her she never knew existed, and that includes when Lexa feels her Omega is being threatened.

As soon as the man is within three feet of them, Lexa attacks, and for the next forty seconds of her life, all she can see is red and all she can feel is fury. Lexa, haven taken many martial arts classes throughout her life, quickly gains the upper hand and begins to mercilessly pound the man with punches, kicks, and hits. She is unaware of the pleadings and distress coming from Costia and the unknown woman, and their cries begging her to stop.

Lexa keeps going. It’s very rare for Lexa to get into this state, and even harder for her to snap out of it. She came from a family with a long history of anger issues, something that Lexa has never been proud of. But once she is consumed by this anger and fury, it’s almost like she turns into a different person entirely, unable to listen or respond to those around her.

She would have kept going, too, if it wasn’t for Costia. What Costia shouts is enough for Lexa to finally stop her relentless attack.

“Lexa STOP, that’s my father!”

\----- 

Costia stares, horrified, as Lexa repeatedly lands punch after punch to her father’s face. Her hands, which are so gentle and kind to Costia, move at an alarmingly fast rate, wreaking havoc wherever they land. She can’t even begin to comprehend everything that has happened the past couple minutes. Not long ago, Costia was incredibly _happy._ Lexa, her sweet Lexa, was there with her on her bed. They were studying at first, but then Lexa had kissed her and said “you look so cute concentrating in your glasses with your tongue sticking out to the side.”

Costia melted at Lexa’s words and couldn’t resist pulling her in for another kiss. And one kiss turned into a lot of kisses, very fast. They were both so occupied they didn’t hear Costia’s parents, who had come to surprise Costia, knock on the door. Her parents barged in, and that’s honestly all Costia can remember. Up until this present moment, everything else that happened after that moment is a blur, much like Lexa’s fist that is slowly but surely beating the life out of her father.

Costia can vaguely hear her mother crying out behind her, begging Lexa to stop, and suddenly everything comes back into focus.

Lexa _wouldn’t _hurt him if she knew who he was. Costia was confident of this.__

In a voice of true desperation, Costia shouts “Lexa, STOP, that’s my father!”

The reaction is almost immediate. Lexa’s hand falters in midair and her eyes seek out the person who had spoken. When her eyes land on Costia, her gaze softens, and the Omega can see the reality of what Lexa had done crashing down around her. One look at Costia’s father has her jumping back in guilt and regret. She turns to Costia and begins to walk towards her, an apology on the brink of her lips.

But before she can even give Lexa a warning, Costia’s father has Lexa pinned down on her bed, moving faster than Costia thought him capable. Three hard jabs to her face leaves Lexa dazed, her limp body sprawled across Costia’s bed. Her father then pulls Costia and his wife behind him, while he puffs out his chest and pumps his dominant pheromones through the room. When Lexa comes to a minute later, she rolls over and meets Costia’s eyes. She hates how broken and lifeless they look, like the spark that lights up her favorite pair of green eyes has been diminished.

Her father’s voice breaks her out of her thoughts. “You have thirty seconds to get out of this room. Take any longer than that, and you’ll wish you hadn't.”

His voice sounds even and relaxed, and Costia is surprised at how calm and collected he is. But when Lexa doesn’t move, his body slowly begins to tense. Costia wants to shout at her to just _leave_ , because nothing she could do or say right now can possibly make the situation better.

Costia’s eyes meet Lexa’s again, and this time Costia can see a glimmer of hope in them. Lexa is mouthing something to her, something that takes a good ten seconds for Costia to decipher. _“Tell them who I am”_

Guilt crashes through Costia, because of course Lexa would assume that Costia has told her parents about her. But she hasn’t, because not only is Lexa an Alpha, but the exact one her parents specifically told her to stay away from. Her heart aches and her inner Omega whines and cries at what she’s about to do. Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she looks at Lexa and mouths “I can’t.”

Costia watches the multitude of expressions Lexa displays on her face over the next few seconds. First Lexa is confused, and points her head at Costia’s parents, thinking Costia didn’t understand what she was trying to say. But Costia shakes her head again, even though the guilt and sadness building up inside her is making it hard to breath.

Costia sees the exact second Lexa realizes the Omega is not going to help her, or stand up for her, and it nearly brings her to her knees. All she wants to do is rush over to her girlfriend and defend her from her parents, and dote on her, and kiss her injuries…..but yet she keeps her feet rooted to the ground behind her father.

Lexa slowly sits up, and winces when she flexes her swollen hands. Costia whimpers at the sight of Lexa in pain, but still doesn’t move. Once Lexa is standing at her full height, her hardened eyes meet Costia’s.

“You didn’t tell them about me, did you?”

Costia’s heart shatters, and she desperately wants to tell Lexa everything; why she never texted her, why she didn’t tell her parents about her, and most importantly: how much she loves and appreciates the Alpha.

Costia almost doesn’t catch what Lexa says next, but she does, and this time it actually does bring her to her knees.

Lexa stares straight into Costia’s soul with her heartbroken, puppy dog eyes and says “You’re ashamed of me.”

Ashamed of _her?_

Costia can’t even begin to comprehend how Lexa could ever think she’s ashamed of her, because she’s the most perfect and marvelous person Costia has ever met. If anything, it should be Lexa ashamed of Costia. But too much too fast is happening around her, and she can’t even begin to comprehend Lexa’s insecurity. With one last painful glimpse at Costia, Lexa leaves the dorm room.

As soon as the door shuts, Costia crumples to the ground, sobbing and choking out broken apologies that Lexa will never hear.


End file.
